Coal terminal exec says shipping coal to Asia won't harm environment

American coal companies want to vastly increase their sale of coal to Asia, including coal from Montana, but that requires a new coal export terminal to be built on the west coast to handle the shipments.

SSA Marine is the name of the company that wants to build the new port at Cherry Point, Washington - halfway between Bellingham and the Canadian border. Recently, Washington state and federal agencies announced they would begin a two-year study of the environmental impacts of building the new terminal, which conservationists strongly oppose. Bob Watters is the Senior Vice President and Director of Business

Bob Watters

Credit SSA Marine

Development for SSA Marine, the company that wants to build the terminal. He was in Montana recently to address the Montana Coal Council. He also took time to sit down in our studios with News Director Sally Mauk to talk about the new terminal - and about coal development in general.